A new children’s book, “Birds in My Tree” will be launched at Clunes Booktown this weekend by local artist and singer songwriter Vanessa Craven.

The book started as a COVID-19 lockdown project. In her stay-at-home world, Vanessa began to interact with the birds in her garden and in the bush around her. That spawned a book of photographs and inspired Vanessa to write a children’s song. The book is filled with colourful bird photographs, lyrics, guitar chords and music notation and is intended to be a teaching tool.

Author Vanessa Craven with copies of her new book.

“The book invites the reader to let their hair down and be part of a bird’s life and enjoy interacting with them and embrace their quirkiness,” said Craven. “It provides children, parents and teachers with an audio-visual experience and an opportunity to learn about different birds, their birdcalls and to learn a new song as well. It allows for creativity and experimentation with creating bird sounds, flapping wings, strutting about and having fun singing together.”

Vanessa will be signing copies of her book at Clunes Book Town stall 3 from 9 am to 4 pm Saturday March 25 and Sunday March 26.

The book will also be launched at Hepburn Shire libraries:

  • Daylesford Library Thurs 13th April @ 10.30 am
  • Creswick Library Thursday 13th. April @ 2 PM
  • Trentham Library on Fri 14th. April @ 10:30 am
  • Clunes Library Friday 14th. April @ 2 PM

Vanessa Craven is a poet, author, artist and singer songwriter who lives in Daylesford. She hales from Mussoorie, a hill-station in Northern India in the Himalaya Mountains, where she was born and lived for 25 years. Her father was Welsh and her mother North Indian, and both were teachers. Her mother encouraged her musicalityand her father developed her love of photography, art, literature and nature.

She has written many original songs, and won several awards. “Lullaby for Monty” and “Forbidden Dance” won awards in the Australian Songwriters Association Contests in 2013 and 2016 respectively.

She has recorded three albums and continues to play music at local venues with her bands. Her band, Lake Mist, will be performing at Farmers Arms , Creswick on Sun 2nd April at 3 pm as part of the Cresfest Festival. Her music can be found on her website https://www.acousticsessions.com.au/

You can take a look inside the book at www.vircravenbirdsongbook.com